


Genetic Destiny

by Starsfury



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: ATA Gene, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Iratus, ancient powers, wraith powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-09-18 00:31:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16984731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starsfury/pseuds/Starsfury
Summary: The gene was only needed to activate devices, and didn't mean anything else.  This was the main operating principle for anyone with ATA, unless you were John Sheppard





	1. Chapter 1

            The outgoing whoosh of the wormhole broke through the stillness of the Gateroom, causing Lieutenant Amelia Banks to jump slightly.  She had been studying a technical text on the comparison of Earth vs alien based technology while sitting on the enclosed balcony.  Rising to her feet; she closed her notebook, and straightened her uniform.  As she was walking to the door, it opened in front of her.

            Startled, she stared at the controls, she hadn't activated the door.  And she didn't have the Ancient gene.  Why had it opened by itself?

            Movement in the doorway pulled her attention back to the open space, and the man standing within it.  A small smile rose to her lips as an eyebrow arched.  Ronon smiled, reaching out a hand to her.  Accepting his grasp, she openly grinned as he pulled her into his chest.

            Ronon wrapped his arms around her waist, and looked at her face.  Her arms settled around his neck, pulling him down for a gentle kiss.  Grinning, Ronon pulled back after a moment, moving a hand up to gently rub a finger down her cheek.

            "I have a mission this morning."

            Amelia smiled.  "So no sparring for lunch."

            "Nope."  Ronon gazed into her brown eyes for a moment, watching the mischievous twinkle.  "We should be back for dinner."

            "My quarters?"

            "Works for me."  Ronon released her and stepped back.  He started to say something, but was overridden by a shout from the Gateroom.  Turning slightly, he saw John gesturing from the open wormhole.

            Pulling Amelia closer for one last kiss, he spun and walked down the stairs to the gate.  Taking his coat from Teyla, he slung it on and stepped up next to Rodney.  After getting the go-ahead from Colonel Carter, the team stepped through the gate.

            Sam walked over to where Amelia stood in the balcony's doorway, and grinned at the comm technician.  "Hell of a 'see you later'."

            Amelia grinned.  "That it is, sir."

            Sam bumped her with a shoulder.  "You're off duty, call me Sam.  Besides, after all the lessons you have been bugging me for, we should at least be on first name basis."

            "True."  Amelia walked back to her books, "Which means I should get back to my studies before that quiz you keep threatening me with."  She made a show of rustling her notes, and opening her book before tossing a grin at the Colonel.

            Hearing her name being called, Sam waved, and walked back within the control room.  Duty calls.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

           

            Lt. Colonel John Sheppard glared at the sky above him.  The dark grey clouds in the skies neglected to take notice of his displeasure.  The water dripped off his hat and began to stream down his spine beneath his shirt.  Wriggling his shoulders, John attempted to ease the sensation of the cold water.

            Looking at his team, he noticed Rodney dancing around in a circle, swearing about rain, and his electronics getting wet.  Ronon just stood stoically looking around the incredibly soggy forest around them.

            Teyla meanwhile had pulled the hood up on her Athosian coat, sealing herself from the rain.  She had a half smile on her face as she looked the others.

            John snorted.  "I need to get me one of those jackets."

            "Indeed."  She pulled her pack closer up on her shoulders.  "Should we begin to look around?"

            John nodded, motioning to Ronon, "Stay with Rodney until he gets his 'stuff' in order."  He settled his P90 against his chest.  "Teyla and I are going to take a look around.  See if there is anything... dry... on this planet."

            Ronon nodded, tying his dreads back from his face.  He walked over to Rodney, and smirked as he watched the scientist fiddle with his boonie hat.

            John headed off into the primordial-seeming forest, wrinkling his nose at the dense mist and smell that seemed to infuse everything.  His boots made a very syrupy squelching sound as he walked.  By all appearances the path was solid, but he was beginning to have his doubts.

            "Ever seen this planet before?"  He tossed the question over his shoulder, hoping to strike up a conversation in order to alleviate the gloom of the day.

            "I have not."  Teyla moved a branch away from her path as she followed John.  "My father once spoke of such a planet as this, though I thought he was not serious at the time."

            "Why's that?"

            "He said that it always rained, without ceasing."  Teyla smiled at the memory.  "I imagined a world under water."

            John grimaced at the thought.  It wasn't quite that bad, more mud and muck then standing water.  But something about the planet was making his skin crawl.  "Sounds like a fairy tale."

            "Not as I would have wished.  But to answer your next question, no I do not know of any people here."  She waited as John leapt over a small stream.  He paused on the other side and held a hand out for her.  Smiling, she accepted his assistance.

            "Know me that well, do you?"  John pressed her fingers slightly, then reluctantly released her hand.

            "At times, yes."  She smiled and moved past him, looking at the clearing just beyond the trees.  "There looks to be ruins over there."

            "Great.  Maybe some dry ground."  John raised his P90 into a sentry position and walked through the last brush into the clearing.  The ground firmed up under his boots as he walked forward.  Glancing behind Teyla, he saw movement heralding Ronon and Rodney's arrival.

            Teyla flanked him toward the right as they moved closer to the structure.  Ronon moved quickly to the left, his stunner out and held up, fully expecting an attack.  John continued forward slowly, motioning to Rodney to scan the clearing.

            Rodney glanced at the scanner again, pausing to check the trail behind them.  "No life signs showing other then us, not even any large animals.  There is a faint trace of slight power readings from inside the structure.  Almost like old conduits."  He pulled his tablet out and pulled up a diagnostic program.  "Nothing high enough to indicate usage..."  He tapped out a command, "More like someone didn't turn off the power when they moved."

            John rolled his eyes as Rodney continued to ramble about power.  He motioned to Ronon to proceed in, and then to Teyla to swing back around behind Rodney.  As soon as they reached position, John followed Ronan into the building.

            For as wet of a planet as it was, the interior was surprisingly dry.  Almost like there had been a seal around the place since the previous inhabitants had left.  Which judging by the dust all over the surfaces, that had been a very long time ago.  John finished his sweep of the main room as Ronon returned from the two outlying rooms, signaling an all clear.

            John brushed the dust layering off a chair and sat down at the large table that took up the center of the room.  Ronon, after slinging his pack down near the door, perched on top of the table and looked around the room. 

            Rodney muttered something to himself, and wandered off, leaving Teyla to look at the other two.  "How long shall we wait inside?"

            John frowned, glancing around the room.  "Until it stops raining?"  He unclipped his P90.  Ronon tossed him a smirk, and pulled his knives out.  He began sharpening them, one by one, the grating noise oddly soothing to John.

            Rodney bustled back into the room, and thumped down at the table.  "Well, its not going to stop raining any time soon."

            "And you figured this out how?"  John pulled a PowerBar from his vest, and started to munch on it.  Rodney looked up like he was going to reply, but made a face when he saw the smirk on John's face.  He snorted, and walked off into another room.

            John took a bite of the nutrition bar, trying to control a smile.  He glanced at Ronon, and a distinct mischievous glint entered his eyes.  "So, Ronon...  Lt Banks.  That looks serious."

            Ronon swung around to look at John, a wary look on his face.  "No clue what you're talking about, Sheppard."

            "No, really.  That good-bye.  Something you should be telling us about, I'd think."  He waggled a finger at the Satedan.  Ronon frowned, looking at John.

            Teyla looked at the two men.  Inwardly rolling her eyes as she recognized John antagonizing Ronon, she moved forward.  "Ronon, I believe you wanted to teach me some Satedan staff drills.  Perhaps now would be the best time."

            Ronon shot her a grateful look, and climbed off the table, gathering his knives as he went.  John tossed her a look, a quick frown creasing his forehead.  "Well if you're going to be sparring, I would love to watch.  Perhaps learn a few moves."

            Teyla moved behind Ronon as he walked out the door.  "Now would not be best, Colonel.  I think it would be wise to stay with Rodney, in case he needs help."  Teyla gave him a small smile and left the building closing the door behind her.

            John glared at the door for a few seconds, then looked around the room.  Sighing, he began picking restlessly at the tabletop.  After five minutes of staring at the walls had passed, Rodney came in from the side room, and looked at him oddly.

            "Where are Ronon and Teyla?"

            "Beating each other with sticks."  John indicated towards the door with his chin, looking at the scientist.

            "Oh."  He tapped a command into his tablet.  "I would have figured you'd be all for that."  Rodney started to scan through the results of his latest test, one of his eyebrows raising at one point.

            "Apparently, I need to assist you."

            Rodney's head snapped up.  "Huh?"

            John snorted.  "I guess she thought I was prying, and made an excuse for me to stay here."  He grinned at the stunned expression on Rodney's face.  Ignoring for a moment the technical element of the work, it never ceased to entertain John that Rodney consistently forgot about the Colonel's rather developed intellect.

            Rodney sat down at the table across from John.  "Prying?  About what?"

            "Lt Banks and Ronon."  John grinned at him, an impish twinkle showing on his face again.

            Rodney shot him a blank look.  "What about them?"

            "They are seeing each other."  John got a sliver of wood anchored under his finger and pulled it free.

            "Are not."  Rodney frowned at John fiddling with the table.  "Really?  Picking at the table?  What are you, five?"

            "I'm bored."  John tossed Rodney a dirty look before returning to his defacing of alien furniture.  "And they are seeing each other.  You mean you didn't see the good-bye in the Gate Room?"

            "Good-bye?  There was a good-bye?  What kind of good-bye?"

            "The kind of good-bye that comes from the activities like you and Keller were caught doing in the mess yesterday."

            "We weren't caught.... OH.  That kind of activities."  Rodney looked at John for a moment.  "Wow.  Are you sure?"

            "Well, full body contact in a hug, and a kiss that made me a little jealous."

            "And I missed it?"  Rodney frowned.

            "Yep."

            "Hmm."  Rodney looked down at his tablet as it beeped at him.  He tapped through prompts, and ran a second sub-routine.  "And Teyla objected to you asking about it?"

            "It was more the teasing I think she disapproved of."

            "Oh."  Rodney glanced at the door.  "Yea, I suppose she isn't a kiss and tell kinda girl... woman... lady... Anyway."

            "But I tease him all the time."

            "Well according to Jennifer, we..." he gestured to himself and John, "have a reputation of being 'gossips'."

            "We do not."  John looked at Rodney in surprise.

            "That's what they were saying in their 'Ladies Nights'."  Rodney shared a disgruntled look with John.

            "We do not gossip."

            "Nope."

            "We discuss things... that..."

            "Have relevance for our everyday duties."  Rodney finished with a grin.

            "Exactly."  John tapped his fingers on the table for a moment.  "Like right now, I am not discussing Ronon's personal life.  I AM the military commander of Atlantis, and Lt. Banks is part of that command structure."

            "Which means you are just collating information for the purpose of gauging impact within the workplace."  Rodney starting keying in the code to start the next scan he wanted to run.

            "Yea, we'll go with that."  John looked at the door again.  "Do you think she is just being protective?"

            "Who?"

            "Teyla."

            "About Ronon?"  Rodney paused his program and looked at the door again.  "Could be I suppose."  He put the tablet down on the table and drummed his fingers for a moment.

            "Why would she though?"

            "Well, she may think that we are going to judge Ronon harshly because he's an alien and yet he is dating Amelia."  Rodney held one hand out.  "Except we are more protective of Ronon..." He gestured with other.

            "So maybe she thinks that we won't approve Lt Banks for Ronon?"  John frowned at the thought.

            Rodney frowned.  "One thing I can't figure out, how did they get involved?"        

            John snickered.  "Well Amelia... " He stressed the name for emphasis.  "…is extensively trained in kickboxing.  In her file, it states that she has been actively studying for five years or more."

            "A-ha"  Rodney waved a finger at the door in excitement, "A fighting style... that he doesn't know.  That would totally get the big guy's attention."

            "Personally, I think they make a good pair."  John fiddled with the table again.  "We do not gossip."

            "Nope."  A glint from the table caught his attention, "Wait.  Lift that edge again."  He pointed at the gap John had dug into the table.

            John looked at him in confusion and lifted the edge again, and then he noticed the shine beneath the wood.  "What the..."  He reached up to the back of his neck and pulled a knife free.  Wedging the tip beneath the wood, he levered up the edge freeing more of the shine.  "That looks Ancient."      

            "Lantean actually."  Rodney leaned over, looking at it.  "Looks medical"

            "What?"  John maneuvered to get a better piece of the wood and pried it free. 

            "Medical... you know... "  He paused as he took in the aggravated look on John's face.  "Oh, you mean the Lantean/Ancient thing.  There is a distinct difference." 

            "Is not."

            "Is so.  Lantean tech requires an ATA gene all the time to make it work, because they had to protect themselves from the Wraith.  Which you find all over the place in the Pegasus galaxy.  Whereas, in the Milky Way only certain 'newer' pieces require the gene.  Like stuff from within the last 10 thousand or so years."

            "Which would be when the Lanteans bailed on the Pegasus galaxy to get away from the Wraith."

            "Exactly."

            "Fine."  John looked at him.  "What is Lantean medical tech doing embedded in someone's dinner table?"  There was an edge of sarcasm in his voice.

            "No clue.  But this is definitely the energy signature I was tracking earlier."  Rodney tapped a command, and withdrew the scanner from his tablet.  "We need to get it out of there.  From the readings I would say it is three feet, by one foot."

            John reached towards his lower back, and withdrew a second knife.  "Well, get chipping."

            Rodney gave him a blank look, and frowned as John slid the knife across the table to him.  John smiled slightly, an evil glint to it.  " I am not cutting it out by myself, Rodney."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning is some flashbacks for information on how it varies from episodes and then returns to our drenched planet

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

_Five Months Previous_

_*continuing from Season 5: Episode 1 - Search and Rescue.  Rodney, John, and Ronon have just made it to where Teyla is being held on Michael's cruiser.*_

_The rapid report of gunfire made Teyla look at the door, hope beginning to fill her as she recognized the sound of P90s being fired.  She panted in pain, feeling sweat trickling down her cheeks.  She raised her voice, calling out, hoping, "John?"_

_A reply came back muffled by the walls.  "Gonna get you out of there!"_

_The joy she felt at the sound of his voice threatened to swamp her, but the intense pain caused by her labour assisted her in staying focused.  "Not a moment too soon!"  She replied, struggling to her feet as the door slid opened._

_John thrust his gun through the now open door, removing the viscous fluid of the ship, wrinkling his nose slightly in distaste.  Ronon pushed past him, jogging straight to Teyla's side.  "We've got to get you back to the jumper."  He caught her as she abruptly crumpled in pain from a contraction._

_John crouched in front of her, worry etching his face as he watched the pain flow across her features.  He felt his heart clench at her being in that much pain.  If Michael did anything to her...  He mentally shook himself, and focused on her face.  "You ok?"_

_Teyla gasped, griping Ronon's hands in hers as she tried to breathe through the pain.  She closed her eyes briefly and then looked at John.  "It's my baby."_

_Stark panic was beginning to drift across the faces of her team-mates at her words.  John look at her, his hazel eyes filled with worry, anger, and if she was not mistaken, pain of his own.  In the back of her head, she wondered what the Colonel had done to cause that look of pain._

_"What? ...is something wrong?"_

_John's question jerked her focus back into the present and she shook her head, gasping slightly.  "No.  I have been having contractions for over an hour now. They're very close. My baby's coming."_

_Ronon helped her back to sit on the bench, not liking the idea of her crouched on the floor of the Wraith ship.  Rodney exchanged a worried look with him over John's head, where he remained kneeling on the floor.  What were they going to do now?_

_Teyla groaned low in her throat, gritting her teeth as she sat on the bench.  "I am sorry. I just need a moment."_

_John looked at her sitting on the bench, watched her trying so hard to be the strong, indomitable woman they all knew, and felt a new anger rising up in him at Michael.  To put her in this sort of a situation, to demean her in such a way.  John inhaled sharply as he felt a shaft of pain in his side.  He reached inside his vest and laid his fingers gently on the wound there.  He felt warmth._

_Removing his hand, he felt the room tilt slightly as he saw the fresh blood on his fingers.  Jennifer was going to have his head for this.  Not to mention Sam... She just might actually court-martial him after this one.  He looked across at where Teyla was sitting._

_As much as he wanted, needed to be one to carry her out of this place, he was in no condition.  Inasmuch as it pained him to admit it, he looked at the big man supporting Teyla,” I'd carry her, buddy, but I'm not really up to it."  His voice grated with pain as he rose to his feet_

_Ronon tossed him a telling look, making John cringe inwardly.  "Yeah."  He reached around Teyla, preparing to lift her.  "Ok, you ready?"_

_Teyla placed a hand on his arm, stopping his motion.  "No, I can walk.  I just need a moment."  She closed her eyes, running through her meditation techniques._

_A double beep from behind John caused them to glance at Rodney.  "Uh, say, friends? We have a small issue here."  He tapped his tablet several times, swearing minutely._

_John exhaled, feeling his strength dip again as he straightened himself up.  An irritation filled his voice as he glanced at Rodney.  "Oh, what now?_

_Rodney look at him, the look on his telling John just how close the scientist was to freaking out completely.  Rodney tried to infuse his voice with some cynical humour as he replied. "Looks like Michael's got his hyperdrive back online. It's powering up."_

_Feeling the world tilt slightly as his balance wavered, John shifted his stance, "Can you shut it down?"_

_Rodney shot him a disbelieving look.  “ Well, not from *this* little thing. Look, the drive room is just down the corridor. You slap a C4 charge on that thing; it should certainly shut it down.”_

_Hiding the weakness he could feel filling his frame, John looked at the scientist expectantly, “Where?”_

_Rodney typed out a command on the tablet and handed it to John, “Here.  I have a map.”_

_John glanced at it, and then glanced around the room.  His gaze held Teyla’s for a moment, but he looked away before she could see the agony in his.  “All right. Ronon, you're with me.”_

_Ronon rubbed Teyla’s back comfortingly, and stood.  “I’ll be right back. Everything's gonna be fine.”  He walked over to Rodney and said in a low voice, “You take care of her.”_

_-HYPERDRIVE ROOM-_

_There was no warning as the doors slid open and in walked death.  At least that was the appearance for the hybrid standing at the main console.  Ronon strode in and shot him without pausing.  The other two hybrids look at the intruders stunned, but before they can raise an alarm, John shot one as Ronon ended the other’s life._

_Both men did sweeps of the room, making sure no one else was in the room with them.  John cocked an eyebrow at the massive hyperdrive generator suspended about their heads._

_Ronon shared a glance with him and stated the obvious, “It’s almost powered up.”  He waited expectantly, for John usually handed the ‘fun stuff’ involving explosives._

_John stepped up, and extended a hand, “Give me your C4.”  Taking the offered block, John reaches up to place the block, but the extension of his torso cause his entire body to spasm.  Curling in pain, John felt as though a blowtorch had been taken to his already weakened insides.   Ronon looked at the Colonel in surprise, who was doubled up in agony._

_“Here, give it to me.”  Ronon reached for the C4._

_John grunted, trying to shove the pain away, “I got it.”_

_Ronon grimaced and gave him a testy look.  Muttering “Right” under his breath, he moved slightly in front of the wounded man.  “Give it to me…”  He snatched the block from John’s hand, and slapped it up against the generator.  “I have to do everything,” He muttered, shooting worried looks at John._

_He attached a detonator, and looked at the Colonel, “All right, you ready?  Let’s go.”  Ronon led the way back to where they had hidden the tablet, dodging the approaching hybrids._

_John tucked his back against the wall, taking comfort in the support it gave him, and took out the detonator switch.  He exchanged a small look with the Satedan and flipped the switch.  “Let’s hope we’re far enough away.”_

_“We’ll see.”  A wicked smile was flirting with the larger man’s features._

_“Fire in the hole.” The same smile was glinting in the Colonel’s eyes.  Blowing things up can be so much fun sometimes.  They shared a grin at the massive explosion that rocked the ship.  Turning as one, they raced back to Teyla and Rodney._

_Entering the cell, they were struck at the image of Rodney handing a tiny bundle to Teyla.  John felt as though the universe had fallen out from beneath him, “Wow!”_

_Rodney looked at him, a freaked smile on his face, “I caught it! Didn't hit the floor or anything!”_

_Teyla smiled at the two men breathing hard in the doorway.  “He did a wonderful job.”  Ronon walked over and knelt down to take a close look at the baby, brushing the top of her head with a gentle kiss._

_John gathered his wits, and glanced at his team.  “That's good. That's ... you did good, Rodney. All right, we gotta get you out of here.”_

_Teyla looked at him, and realized that with the explosion, hybrids and possibly Michael would be on the way soon.  “Ronon, you may need to help me.”_

_Without a pause, Ronon scooped her up effortlessly, as she cradled her new son protectively.  The team raced through the corridor to where they had left the Jumper.  John pulled out his control and quickly triggered the de-cloak.  Nothing happened._

_Stunned, and a little panicked, he hammered the button a few more times, “Why isn't it de-cloaking?”_

_Rodney grabbed the control and began to fiddle with the buttons, “Let me see. What, did you break it?”_

_John waved his arms in front of him, feeling frantic.  “No, no, we parked the Jumper right here.”_

_Rodney stared at him, shock making his voice go shrill, “Someone stole the Jumper?”_

_“Oh, this is not good.”  John shoved a hand through his hair, unsure of what to do.  His side burned and ached, and was more than compromising his focus._

_Ronon glared at both of them over Teyla’s head.  “How the hell are we supposed to get off the ship now?”_

_The team looked at Rodney, who stared back at them indignant, “I just delivered a baby! That's not enough for today?!”_

_John snorted inwardly.  “If only”.  He rummaged through his brain for a moment and then looked at Rodney, “Don't they have escape pods or things like that on a Cruiser?”_

_  
_

_“No! They ... they ... wait. *I* know. We need to get back to a data terminal. A lot of their internal power's down. Maybe I can short out the jamming code. We can get the Daedalus to beam us out.”  He started off in another direction._

_DAEDALUS_

_Marks looked at his control panel again, not quite believing his eyes.  He spoke to Colonel Caldwell, “Sir? We've got a wraith ship trying to hail us… I think.”_

_Steven Caldwell frowned and turned to the Comm officer.  “What? Let me hear it.”_

_Marks activated the bridge intercom, and John Sheppard’s voice flowed through the speakers; “This is Colonel John Sheppard. Authentication code Bravo Delta Charlie Alpha Niner. Daedalus, please come in.”_

_Surprise covered Steven’s face as he smiled grimly.  “Authenticated. Colonel Sheppard, what the hell happened to your Jumper?”_

_A crackle was heard and then the wry humor that was such a part of the Atlantis Colonel was heard in his reply.  “Well, I got all turned around in the parking garage. I was in a rush so we were hoping you could just beam us over?”_

_Steven glanced at his science officer who nodded, “We are showing the jamming is down, I assume_

_this is Doctor McKay’s doing?”_

_“Yeah, he’s a little proud of himself right now.  He says we need a wide spectrum beam, as the baby doesn’t have an ID chip._

_So this means you have Teyla?”_ _  
“Yes and the baby.”_

_Steven’s eyebrow rose at the wonder in the man’s voice.  “So feel free to do whatever you want to that Cruiser.”_

_“Copy that.”  Steven turned to Marks, “Major Marks, please make that ship go away.”_

_ATLANTIS_

_Rodney smiled to himself as he walked towards the infirmary carrying a vase of flowers.  He tilts his head in surprise as he sees Sam with a couple of large bags over her shoulder.  Was she moving rooms or something?  He walked over, “Hey. What's with the bags?”_

_Sam looked at him, taking in the vase. “What's with the flowers?”_

_“Going to see Teyla. Oh, you probably heard I delivered her baby?”  He had a smug smile on his face.  He was quite proud of that accomplishment._

_Sam hid a devilish smile and pasted a large fake one across her face, “I did! And they tell me she's gonna name him Rodney!”_

_Rodney grinned and punched the air in glee.  “Yes! Really?”_

_Sam grinned widely at him, thrilled he took the bait.  Nothing quite made her as happy as when he left himself open for teasing. “No. Not really.”_

_He frowned at her.  “Funny.”  He gestured at the bags, “So, where are you going?”_

_“Back to Earth.”  Seeing the confusion, Sam elaborated, “They caught the last Ba'al clone. The Tok'Ra are going to extract the symbiote. They want SG-1 to put in an appearance.”_

_Rodney smiled and nodded, “Ah right.”_

_Sam gave a worried smile, “Plus the I.O.A. want do an "exhaustive" review of my first year in command, so, you know, that can't be good.”_

_“Are you crazy? They probably wanna give you a medal. You had a great year.”  She gave him a doubting smile, and he continued, “I know my opinion doesn't mean much to those folks, but I think you've done an excellent job. I'm glad you took the post.”_

_Sam was stunned; she had never seen this side of Rodney McKay.  “Thanks, Rodney. That means a lot.”  She started toward the doors, and paused.  She glanced back him.  “Tell Sheppard the court martial will have to wait.”_

_Rodney frowned at her in confusion, then shrugged, “Sure. See you soon.”_

_She watched him walk away and softly said to herself, “Hope so!”_

_\---------StarGate Command - Earth_

_Sam felt a small smile tease the corners of her mouth as she looked up in to the control room of the SGC.  How many times had she seen this view?  She walked free of the event horizon and a movement off to the side took her attention from where Walter was smiling in welcome at her._

_Richard Woolsey stepped forward, a strained expression on his face.  There were distinct moments that he hated his job.  And this was probably going to top the list of the most disagreeable moments in his profession career.  "Colonel Carter."_

_Sam stepped of the ramp and turned to face the diminutive man.  At least she could get some answers before having to suit up to head to the Tok’ra homeworld.  "Mr. Woolsey. How are you?"_

_A slight surprise tweaked his expression.  Apparently, he had not been expecting that kind of a greeting.  Sam raised an eyebrow slightly at that.  Richard tried settling his shoulders, dreading the coming conversation.  "Very well. Thank you for asking."_

_Grasping her fingers together, Sam attempted to ward off the feelings of trepidation that were growing in her heart.  Mentally shaking herself, she pushed onwards.  Perhaps it was nothing.  "So, is this whole evaluation process going to take very long? I mean, there's a lot of work to be done on Atlantis and I'm kind of anxious to get back."_

_Inhaling, Richard replied, "I'm sure you are."  He glanced to side, wishing inwardly that he had not agreed to take this particular task.  He really admired the Colonel, and her many accomplishments spoke for themselves.  And this was one instance where he greatly disagreed with the judgment of his superiors.  But duty was duty.  " However, the I.O.A. has decided that perhaps someone with a different skills-set would be more suited to lead the Atlantis expedition now."_

_Sam looked at him, shock filling her features.  Surely, she hadn't heard him correctly.  "Excuse me?"_

_Looking even more uncomfortable than ever before, Richard glanced at the floor before looking her straight in the eye.  From the peripheral of her vision, Sam could see Cam and Daniel waiting for her in the hallway._

_Richard pressed onward, speaking in the tone of a man much in conflict with the words he was saying.  "I'm here to inform you that, effective immediately, you are being removed from command."_

_Sam physically took a step back in denial, utterly stunned at his words.  She saw the shock on Daniel's face, and she took a small measure in comfort that not only had Daniel been eavesdropping, but he was a stunned as she was.  She scrambled for words.  "Um, who-who's replacing me?"_

_Looking down for a moment, sighing in resignation, Richard then squared his shoulders and uttered, "As a matter of fact, **I** am."_

_Sam felt a sharp shaft of betrayal, one that she firmly squashed.  So that was how the IOA was going to play it.  She had done all the hard work, and now they were going to put a bureaucrat in charge.  Before she could say anything else, Richard brushed past her, leaving her standing in the Gate room, feeling as though she had been struck in the head._

_Daniel rushed forward, laying a hand on her arm.  "Did I seriously just hear what I thought I heard?"_

_She numbly nodded, and felt some satisfaction as the archaeologist swore in at least 3 different languages, one of them Ancient if she wasn't mistaken.  Daniel pulled her into an embrace as Cam walked up, his welcoming smile fading as he took in her stunned expression and the fierce look on Daniel's face.  "What just happened?"_

_"That little weasel just told Sam she's being removed from command and he is taking her job."  The fury in Daniel's tone did much to assuage the pain Sam was feeling.  She straightened, looking her oldest friend in the face.  She gave him a small smile, which caused him to squeeze her tighter for a moment._

_"You have got to be kidding me."  Cam started after the small man, but a restraining hand from Teal'c held him in place.  The Jaffa had come up silently and caught the end of the conversation._

_"I think perhaps O'Neill should hear about this."  The words said in the deep tone she loved so much settled the rest of Sam's concerns.  Teal'c was right.  For Richard to have told her, here in the Gate room, rather than a conference room surrounded by IOA representatives meant that perhaps the military had not been informed._

_"For the moment, the Tok'ra need us to arrive on time.  It is well beyond time to place Ba'al in our pasts."  He pulled her bags from over her shoulder, and stood back gesturing for her to walk forward.  "Focus on that success, Colonel Carter.  We shall deal with Mr. Woolsey at another time."_

_Cam pasted a smile on his face, gamely taking the 'out' that Teal'c had just offered.  "He's right, Sam.  What better to take your mind of your worries the watching as an enemy gets sucked out of his host?"_

_Sam laughed and allowed her old team-mates, and indeed best friends, pull her along._

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

 

 

 

           

            Ronon released a small sigh of relief as he heard the door close behind Teyla.  At times, Sheppard could be impossible to derail from an inquest.  When he wanted to know something... well you might as well pretend to be mute and hope he bought it.  To quote Major Lorne, the colonel was like a bulldog... whatever that meant.

            Teyla brushed passed him, leading the way to small pad of hardened material tucked off to one side of the ruined building.  She smiled at him as she removed her pack and glanced around the clearing.

            "Thanks for that."

            She glanced at the tall man, and inclined her head.  "I had thought from the look on your face that you would not appreciate the Colonel's curiosity."

            Ronon rolled his eyes.  "It's not so much that..."  He squatted down, gazing at her for a moment.  "I'm used to hiding everything.  When you're a Runner... nothing can mean anything to you.  If it does, it can get you killed."

            "I had sensed the reluctance in you."

            Ronon heard the odd catch in Teyla's voice.  "Sensed?  You mean with the other senses?  The Wraith ones."  He watched as a shadowed look crossed her face.

            Teyla swallowed.  "Yes."  She sighed and knelt down, settling her hands on her knees.  Ronon was the only one who knew that her abilities were growing.  She had been so used to her Gift that it had never occurred to her that it could change this much. 

            But ever since she had helped Todd, and allowed herself to be altered into a Wraith Queen, she had been noticing a series of changes.  She was more empathic, and she thought she was developing something akin to telepathy.  It was almost as if the experience had unlocked some hidden portion of her DNA.

            "Have you told anyone else yet?"

            Ronon's question pulled her attention from her internal thoughts.  "No."  Teyla turned away from the structure and looked at the forest.  "Since Michael invaded Atlantis, there has just been no good time for it."  She sighed, and was silent for a moment.

            "Talk to me, hila'si."

            Teyla smiled at his use of a Satedan endearment, meaning 'little sister'.  She looked at him.  Ronon tilted his head to one side and gazed at her steadily.  "You weren't bothered by killing Michael.  We both know that."  He got up and paced towards her.  "But something has you bothered."

            Closing her eyes, Teyla inhaled deeply attempting to stave off memories.  "Michael was not alone when he came to Atlantis."  She held up her hand, sensing Ronon about to comment about the obviousness of that statement.  "Kanaan was with him."

            Seeing the shock on his features, she nodded, giving a weak small smile.  "That is what has me... out of sorts.  I saw him DIE.  On Michael's ship, before you rescued me.  He died trying to break Michael's hold on him."  Tears gathered in the corner of her eyes, and she blinked furiously to allay them.

            "Then how...?"  Ronon crouched down next to her.

            "I do not know.  But Kanaan was there.  And ... "  Teyla looked at him.  "I know where they were hiding all this time now.  I KNOW exactly where Michael was."  She swallowed roughly.  "I looked at Kanaan, looked in his eyes, and I knew where they had been.  Why we could not find them."

            Ronon held her gaze, thinking quickly.  Seeing the sorrow in her eyes, he realized with a start what she meant.  "They were on your homeworld."  He bit back the urge to swear.  The pain on Teyla’s face made him wish the hybrids were still alive so he could kill them.

            "Yes.  Kanaan would have known no Athosian would go to Athos... not after we had abandoned it because of the Wraith.  Michael has been there all this time."  Teyla felt the pressure of tears crowding her eyes as she thought of her homeworld.

            "Or he could have been somewhere else."

            "Ronon...  I may fear what my abilities are becoming, but I do believe them when they tell me something.  I have been dreaming about dark storms on Athos for a long time.  And then, someone with similar gifts to my own comes back from what we thought was death..."  She looked at him steadily for a moment.  "As Rodney would say, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it isn't a coincidence."

            Ronon sighed.  "You have a point."  He rubbed a hand over his face.  "How are you holding up with all of this?"

            Teyla gave him a small smile.  "Better then I might have.  If Kanaan had come back with us to Atlantis all that time ago, and then betrayed me...I do not think I would be doing so well.  But as it is... Last I saw him, he was trying to break Michael's control, and it killed him.  Or at least that is what I thought when the ship exploded."

            "But seeing him again... it's just shock that he wasn't dead."  Ronon nodded thoughtfully.  "Yea, that would be easier to handle."

            "Easier, and yet much more difficult."  Teyla tilted her head back, allowing the misting rain to slide across her face.  "I did not see his body with those of the other Hybrids." Seeing the blank look, she elaborated; “When the bodies of hybrids were moved for burial, I looked among them, searching for Kanaan.  He was not there.”

            Ronon swore.  "So he could still be alive out there."

            "Indeed."  Teyla smiled as Ronon shot her a look.  Ever since his experience with the Jaffa warrior Teal'c, he had been hyper-aware of the word.  She sighed, and tipped her head back to gaze at the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The update schedule for this story is going to be delayed due to school. I will be posting, just kind of slowly


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